Johnson has faced Myers 18 times, in 7 games. Here are some quick facts about the batter-pitcher matchup:
- Tonight's catcher for the Phillies, Carlos Ruiz, was only the receiver for 2 of those plate appearances
- In 67% of those plate appearances the bases were empty
- In 11% of those plate appearances the bases were full
- In the first 13 plate appearances, Johnson was hitless, although he did walk once
- His line against Myers: .176/.222/.412, with one RBI
- Johnson struck out in 41% of his at-bats against Myers
- Myers has thrown him 74 pitches, 64% of which are strikes.
In their most interesting matchup, Johnson came to the plate in the bottom of the 8th, with Philadelphia leading 8-6. Willie Harris was at first, Matt Diaz at second and Yunel Escobar at third. There was one out.
When the bottom of the 8th began, the Phillies had an 8-2 lead and Tom Gordon was on the hill. Chipper Jones lead off the inning with a double. After Mark Teixeira flied out to right, McCann singled. Jeff Francouer, not exactly known for his clutch hitting, hit a bloop single just out of the reach of Utley, scoring Chipper and moving McCann to second. Cox pinch ran for McCann, sending in Chris Woodward. Cox also pinch hit for his pitcher, with Scott Thorman. Thorman singled to load the bases.
Charlie Manuel brought in Myers to face Yunel Escobar, with the score now 8-3. Myers began by throwing a wild pitch, scoring Woodward and advancing Frenchy and Thorman. Three more balls in a row, and Escobar was standing on first.
Bases loaded again, this time for Matt Diaz with the score 8-4. Diaz hit an infield single, scoring Francouer. Myers then walked Willie Harris to force in the sixth run and bring Kelly Johnson to the plate with the bases loaded and a chance to do some damage. He started him with two balls, but Johnson swung at the third, fouling out to Abraham Nunez at third for the second out.
Myers then retired Chipper on seven pitches, when Jones flied to left.
It wasn't Myers' day, though. The Braves won 9-8, as Myers had a hairy 9th inning too. He struck out Teixeira and got Brayan Pena to ground out to first. A team down by two, in the bottom of the 9th with two outs and no one on base, has a 1.7% chance of winning the game. Better than nothing.
Myers allowed Francoeur to single -- another infield single, this time to shortstop. Francouer moved to second on defensive indifference -- kind of surprising with the tying run at the plate. Prado then singled with a weak topper to Myers' right -- but good enough to get him on base and move Francouer to third. Escobar walked again, and Diaz came to the plate with the bases loaded for the second time in consecutive innings.
Diaz cleared the bases with a double to left field, and Atlanta took the victory. Diaz racked up 4 RBI in the 8th and 9th innings, and he was only in the game as a pinch hitter.
